Dust-guard for axle-boxes



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 J. J.B USE'NBENZ.

DUST GUARD FOR AXLE BOXES.

No. 501,325. Patented July 11,1893.

2 sheets-sheet 2.

(No Model.)

J. J. BUSENBENZ. DUST QEARD FOR AXLE BOXES.

Patentea July 11, 1893,

25223222 077 JacaZ @Buaen 3e39,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JACOB J. BUSENBENZ, OF ROCK ISLAND, ILLINOIS.

DUST-GUARD FOR AXLE-BOXES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 501,325, dated July 11, 1893.

Application filed December 8, 1892. Serial No. 454,530. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JACOB J. BUSENBENZ, a citizen of the United States, residing at Rock Island, in the county ofRock Island and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Dust-Guards for Journal- Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in dust guards for journal boxes and is more particularly directed to an improvement in dust guards for use at the front opening of journal boxes of the kind which employ a swinging lid. In this form of journal box the lid is usually hung upon trunnions, at the upper end of the box, to swing across the opening, and is provided with a spring which serves to hold the lid firmly against the walls of the opening when closed. Owing to the necessary roughness of the surface of the metal at the edge of the opening and in the lid, it is found that dust enters the journal box very readily; and it is the purpose of my invention to provide a structure which will overcome this defect.

It is to be understood that although the device hereinafter more particularly described is adapted for use with a journal box the lid of which swings upon trunnions at the upper end of the lid, it is capable of use where the lid swings laterally or upon trunnions at its lower edge.

My invention consists generally in a dust guard for journal boxes of the kind described, which is adapted to swing with the lid, to which end it is preferred to make the dust guard in the form of a metal plate having a facing of felt or similar material, said plate being provided with means for swinging it upon thebolt which forms trunnions for the lid, and provided also with means for holding it to the lid, whereby it will swing with the latter. The spring provided in the lid serves to hold the same with sufficient pressure against the journal box to cause the felt facing to form a joint with the edge of the opening, and thus prevent the access of dust. It is preferred to make'such a connection between the dust guard. and the trunnions on the one hand and the lid on the other hand that a certain amount of independent movement is possible in the dust guard plate, to make up for inequalities in the surfaceof the journal box. It is also preferred to provide a single central point of principal contact between the lid and the dust guard plate to cause a pressure of the former to be distributed equally throughout the latter.

In the drawingsFigure 1 is a vertical central section of a journal box employing my improvement. Fig. 2 is a front elevation partly in section of a journal box provided with my improvement, one-half of the lid being broken away to show the internal construction. Fig. 3 is a view in elevation of a dust guard before its application to the journal box; and Fig.4 an edge view of the same.

A represents the journal box provided at its forward end with the opening shown, above which it is provided with the lug B. The lug B is horizontally bored to receive the bolt 0, which as shown presents trunnions on each side of the lug B upon which the lid and dust guard are hung. The lid D is made of a single sheet of metal stamped upward in the central part as indicated att and provided with the transverse opening 3. At its lower end the lip r is formed,by which the lid may be raised. The upper end of the lid is turned over so as in the central part to embrace the lug B as shown at p, Fig. 1, and on each side thereof to embrace the bolt C, as indicated at 0 0 Fig. 2. A spring E in the form of a fiat spring-plate, and havinga width to pass easily through the transverse slot .9, extends from the upper outer corner of the lug B through said opening and at its opposite end is curved inward, as shown at n, to enter a groove 1 formed in the lid. This spring being thus made substantially a part of the lid, serves to hold the lid firmly upon its seat upon the trunnion box when closed, and at the same time enables the lid to be held open when raised to a horizontal position. It should be stated that this structure of lid is now in use and does not form any part of my invention; it being understood that the invention produced by me and heroin claimed lies in the dust guard itself, which is constructed to adapt it for use with alid of this character.

The dust guard comprises a metallic plate F of a dimension to fit over the journal box opening, said plate carrying on its face a sheet of felt or similar material G. The felt is secured to the plate by rivets or otherwise. From the upper end of the plate F extend two ears m, and from the lower end extend ears m, the latter being much shorter than the former. The upper ears m aiford the means for hanging the dust guard upon the trunnions aiforded in the bolt C, while the lower ears m afiord the means for securing the dust guard to the lid. To accomplish this the following procedure is taken: The lid is lifted to about a horizontal position. The ears m are turned upward as indicated in Fig. 1 to afford hooks, which are adapted to engage the lower edge of the lid D on each side of the lip 'r. The dust guard is thereupon introduced under the lid in such a manner that the ears m project between the bolt and the upper side of the journal box, and when introduced sufficiently far to enable the books at m to engage the lid; the ears mare bent around the bolt to embrace the latter as well as so much of the lid D as already embraces the same.

The effect of the operation here described is shown in dotted lines in Fig. l, and in full lines at the right of Fig. 2. It is preferred to provide the hooks about the trunnions in such a manner that a slight independent vertical movement is permitted in the dust guard with relation to the lid, to accomplish which the bending of the ears m is caused to take place before the ears m come into close engagement with the lower edge of the lid. At a central point there is provided to project upward from the face plate F a stud H, the height of which is sufficient to provide constant engagement with the spring E, located, as described, centrally with relation to the lid. The function of this stud is to receive the pressure of the lid and spring when closed, such pressure being thereby distributed uniformly throughout the dust guard to cause the latter to remain in close and uniform contact with the surface of the journal box about the opening.

It will be observed that the dust guard constructed as described involves no sort of change or modification in the lid and is readily removed and replaced. It will also be ob served that it insuresadust proof joint about the journal box opening, and serves readily to overcome any irregularities on the surface of the casting.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A dust guard for journal boxes comprising a plate having ears at one end for swinging upon the lid-trunnion, substantially as described.

2. A dust guard for journal boxes having at one end ears for swinging upon the lidtrunnion and at the other end cars to embrace a part of the lid, whereby the dust guard swings with the lid, substantially as described.

3. A dust guard for journal boxes comprising a plate F having the facing G of felt or similar material and provided with the ears m and m, as and for the purpose set forth.

4:. The combination with a journal box lid and the trunnion upon which the same swings, of a dust guard comprising a plate having a facing-of felt or similar material, and provided with ears m, which embrace the lid trunnion and ears m which embrace the edge of the lid at the opposite end, substantially as described.

5. The combination with a journal box lid and the trunnions thereof of a dust guard comprising a plate F having the central stud H, and carrying the facing of felt or similar material, and provided with ears m embracing the lid-trunnions, and the ears m embracing the edge of the lid, all as set forth.

JACOB J. BUSENBENZ.

In presence of- HARRY H. CLEAVELAND, N. H. HAYES. 

